Latch for railroad switches



Sept. 20, 1932. B. R. BARBER 1,377,783

LATCH FOR RAILROAD SWITCHES Filed Sept. 1'7, 1931 .B gmm Efia/"berfla gwumtoi Patented Sept. 20, 1932 BENJAMIN ROBERT BARBER, OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA LATCH FOR RAILROAD SWITCHES Application fi1ed"September 1'7, 1:931. Serial 1\l'0563,425.

This invention is directed to an improvement in latches for railroad switches, providing for an automatic latching of the switch lever when moved to operative position to con- 13 trol the switch and preventing further operation of the switch lever except following a manual actuation of the latch.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of a switch lever latch "1 wherein the latching means in the form of a spring-pressed bolt is automatically projected in latching position to hold the switch lever against operation, a foot member providing for the manual retraction of the bolt 15 to free the switch lever at will. a

A further object of-the invention is the provision of a base casting formed with lateral flanges for spiking to the tie, and provided in its upper portionwith a latch housing in which is operative a spring-pressed latch designed, when in operative positlon under the influence of the spring, to overlie the switch lever and prevent that upward movementofsuch lever necessary to operate the switch, therebeing secured to the casting afoot-operated element, by means of which the bolt may be withdrawn from operatlve position at will to free the lever for the actuation of the switch. v The invention isillustrated in the accompanying, drawing, wherein 1 Figure 1 is a perspective view of the latch. Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. a y

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same. Figure 4 is a perspective view of a Il'lOCllllBd form. t The improved latch includesa base member 1 preferably constructed as a slngle cast- 40 ing, though obviously made up of connected parts if so desired. The base member lncludes laterally extended edge flanges 2 inthe plane of the bottom of the base member, which flanges are appropriately formed with openings 3, through which spikes may be driven to secure thelatch on the tie in proper' relation to the switch stand.

The base member above the flanges is of rectangular shape and comparatively narrow in width to providea body section twhlch at the forward end is vertically recessed to provide a channel 5 to receive the switch lever, indicated at 6. That portion of the body 4 beyond the channel 5 forms an upright abutment 7 defining one wall of the channel 5, the upper end of which is down,-

wardly and inwardly inclined with respect to the channel, as at 8. v 1 In the upper portion of the body 4, there is formeda longitudinal bore 9, either by casting or otherwise, which bore opens at one end to the channel 5 and at the opposite endto the proximate ends ofthe bodyr This bore for an appreciable distance at the channel end is of rectangular formation, as at 10, the opposite end of the bore being cylindrical, as

at 11, with the free terminal of the cylindrical portion threaded, as at 12.

The bolt 13 isslidable in the bore 9, this bolt including a cylindrical bar portion let and a nose portion 15, such parts being integral or may be independent and connected together in any appropriate manner. The

nose portion is rectangular in form, corre spondingto the rectangular portion 1010f the bore 9, so that such nose portion of the bolt may have an accurate slidingfit in such rectangular portion 10. The bar portion let is of materially less diameter than the cylindrical portion 11 of the bore, and at the end of the bore 9 remote from the channel 5 the barportion 14,- of the bolt passes through a nipple 16 externally threaded to cooperate with the threaded portion 12 of the bore. A spring 17 is arranged in the bore 9, encircling, the bar port-ion 14 of the bolt and bearing at one end; against the nose portion 15 of the bolt and at the opposite end against the nipple 16.

f The tension of the spring 17 is such that when-free to act it will project the bolt 13 so that the nose portion 15 engages the abutment 7 thus providing an obstructing wall at the upperend of the channel 5. The upper surface of the nose 15 is downwardly inolined' toward the abutment, as indicated at 18, so that the inclined portion 8 of the abutment and the correspondingly inclined portion18of the nose provide a means for guiding theswitch lever into the channel 5 and 51300 in such movement permit the rearward displacement or opening movement of the bolt by the engagement of the switch lever with being longitudinally extended, as at 20.- A

bolt 21 traverses the space between thGfGX: tended portions of the walls, and on this bolt is supported a foot lever 22 of substantially right angle form, the pivotal connection between the foot lever and bolt being preferably formed of a stirrup 23 which embraces the bolt, with the ends passed through'the footlever and appropriately secured, as by nuts or riveting. The upright portion 2a of the foot lever is formed at its upper end with an opening 25 through which the terminal of the bar portion 14 0f thebolt 13is passed. Thebolt beyond this portion of the foot lever is threaded to receive a nut 26, which nut may be appropriately locked against displacement bya cotter pin 27 or other securing means. V

The rema nlng or lower portion of the foot lever 22 is extended and widened to provide a foot piece 28, and the upper edges of the extensions2O of the walls 19'are inclined to permit proper play of the foot lever. In the inoperative position of the foot lever, that is,.with the nose of the bolt in contact with the abutment 7, itis to be understood that the upright portion 24 0f said foot *lever is inwardly of the free edges of the spaced walls 19, and one of'said' walls is formed-with a transversely aligned opening 29 to permit passage therethrough of the hasp of an ordinary lock 30, for example, which is thus arranged in the path ofoperative movement of the foot lever and when in position serves to prevent any action of the foot lever;

The channel 5 does not extend to the flanges 2, but the lower portion of the body may and preferably is formed with projections 31 serving as a broad base for the reception of the switch lever when in locked position, which projections are preferably cast integral with the base member. The distance betwe'en the projections 31 and the square face of the nose 15 of the locking bolt is such that when the switch lever is in position resting on the projections 31 and the bolt is in normal or opera-,

1 of the rectangular portion of the bore, it is obviously apparent that on the removal of the nipple .16, the lockingbolt may be freely withdrawn for necessary repairs or renewal. While preferringthat the base member and the housing for the locking boltbe made as'a-n integral casting, it is quite apparent that they may,'without departure from the invention, be formed as plate-like elements with the body comprising spaced walls 32, on each of which a lower edge flange 83 is formed and the bolt housing formed as a separate member and bolted between the walls. In this form, the abutment proper is in the shape of'a block 3 1- bolted between the plates beyond the channel 35, such channel being obviously formed by cutting each plate. In this form, the material, or a portion of the material cutfrom the plate to form the channel, is turned down on the edge flange to form the projections 36 corresponding to the projections 31 of the preferred form.

When the switch lever is within the channel 5 and the nose of'the locking bolt in operative position, it is apparent that the switch lever is held against any movement except an authorized one andis particularly guarded against displacement due to vibration incident to the travel of the trains over the track. 7

I claim 1. A locking means fora switch leverineluding a body formed with a switch lever receiving channel, a bolt slidable longitudinally of and accurately fitting a rectangular bore in the upper portion of the body and having a nose portion to bridge said channel above the position occupied by the switch lever therein, spring means for normally holding the bolt in operative position, and a foot leverswingingly connected to the body and operatively connected to the bolt, the movement 'of the foot lever in one direction serving to withdraw the noseof the bolt from the channel. I

2. A locking means for switch levers including a body formed at one end with a vertically ranging channel open at the upper end, a bolt-receiving bore formed in the body in arplane atright angles to the channel, a locking bolt slidable in the bore and having a noseto project across and close the upper end of the channel, a spring for holding the bolt in projected position, a foot lever swingingly connected to the body, the upper end of the lever being formed with an opening to receive the end of the locking bolt opposite the nose, and means carried by the bolt to' form a stop to be engaged by the foot lever for moving the bolt against the influence of the spring.

3. A locking means for switch levers including a body formed .at one end with, a vertically ranging channel open at the upper end, a bolt-receiving bore formed in the body in a plane at right angles to the channel, a locking bolt slidable in the bore and having a nose to project across and close the upper end oi the channel, a spring for holding the bolt in projected position, a foot lever swingingly connected to the body, the upper end of the lever being formed with an opening to receive the end of the locking bolt opposite the nose, means carried by the bolt to form a stop to be engaged by the foot lever for moving the bolt against the influence of the spring, and means on the body to receive a locking element for holding the foot lever against operative movement.

4. A locking means for switch levers including a body formed near one end with a channel, the body on one side of the channel providing an abutment with a downwardly inclined upper end, the body on the opposite side of the channel being formed with a bore near the upper edge of the body, a locking bolt operative in the bore having a nose to bridge the channel above the lower end thereof, the upper surface of the nose being inclined oppositely with respect to the inclination of the upper end of the abutment, a spring housed within the bore to normally move the bolt to operative position, a nipple threaded in the end of the bore remote from the channel to provide an adjustable stop for one end of the spring, the locking bolt being extended through the nipple, and a foot lever swingingly supported by the body and having one end cooperating with the bolt to withdraw the bolt against the influence of the spring and free the channel.

5. A locking means for switch levers including a body formed at one end with a vertically ranging channel open at the upper end,

a bolt-receiving bore formed in the body in a plane at right angles to the channel, a locking bolt slidable in the bore and having a nose to project across and close the upper end of the channel, a spring for holding the bolt in projected position, a foot lever swingingly connected to the body, the upper end of the lever being formed with an opening to receive the end of the locking bolt opposite the nose, means carried by the bolt to form a stop to be engaged by the foot lever for moving the bolt against the influence of the spring, a portion of the foot-lever bearing squarely against the body to limit the operative movement of the bolt under the influence of the spring, means on the body to receive a locking element for holding the foot lever against operative movement, and spike-receiving flanges projecting laterally from the plane of the bottom of the body.

6. A locking means for switch levers including a body formed near one end with a channel, the body on one side of the channel providing an abutment with a downwardly inclined upper end, the body on the opposite side of the channel being formed with a bore near the upper edge of the body, a locking bolt operative in the bore having a nose to bridge the channel above the lower end thereof, the upper surface of the nose being inclined oppositely with respect to the inclination of theupper end of the abutment, a spring housed within the bore to normally move the bolt to operative position, a nipple threaded in the end of the bore remote from the channel to provide an adjustable stop for one end of the spring, the locking bolt being extended through the nipple, and a foot lever swingingly supported by the body and having one end cooperating with the bolt to withdraw the bolt against the influence of the spring and free the channel, said foot lever having an upright portion to bear against the rear wall of the body when the bolt is in operative position, one wall of the body being extended rearwardly beyond such upright portion of the foot lever and formed with an opening to removably receive a lock to be engaged by the upright portion of the foot lever in attempt to operate such foot lever.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

BENJAMIN ROBERT BARBER. 

